There’s a big buzz about branding right now. I’m always curious to see what people are saying because I’m no stranger to the branding process. Back in ‘the day’ I used to work for an ad agency and I’ve worked on branding and image campaigns from start to finish (although, truthfully, branding is an ongoing process). Anyway, there seems to be a lot of confusion about what branding really is. Some people think it’s a logo. Others swear it means creating a really cool television spot. And, others are simply mystified by the thought of branding. To demystify branding for you, I’ll share the simple definitions that I included in the training materials I created for the Idaho Small Business Development Center several years ago. This clearly illustrates the difference between your logo and your brand because […]

(Photo of Viki Viertel of Digital Buddha Studios) While audio and video are not new to the marketing mix, the demand for quality and thoughtful messages is increasing rapidly. Personally, I believe quality video and audio are an integral part of maintaining brand integrity. Here’s what I mean. As business owners we put a lot of time, thought and research into creating our brands. Some marketers own a personal brand, others a corporate brand and really savvy marketers embrace co- branding. To break it down further I’ll give a layman’s definition of a brand. Brand: The overall impression and experience that your customers receive from your business. This definition seems to demystify the concept of branding for most people. Simply put your brand is an extension of your business and your brand integrity is EVERYTHING you do […]

Underestimating the importance of image is a common marketing mistake. When we talk about image in business, it encompasses a broad spectrum. We’re talking about overall image of storefront; interior design, marketing materials, website and even your people, (staff members). All of these elements determine how your business is perceived. They also tie in with your overall brand and help people decide if they will do business with you, or not. The heart of your business identity is your logo. It represents who you are and what you do. The image of your business is the foundation of your marketing and advertising efforts. If your logo and identity package is weak, your advertising and marketing efforts will not be as successful as they could be. If you aren’t familiar with the term “identity package,” it refers to […]

Branding isn’t a new concept. It does seem to be a bit of mystery to some businesses . I’m always interested to hear what people think branding is. Some believe branding is having a strong logo – read about the difference here. Others think it’s about having lots of really cool ads and some people simply don’t know what it is. One thing is certain. Your business image counts and everything you do is a part of the brand experience. Each marketing technique you use has direct impact on how people view your business. Here’s a little story. It’s customary at conferences for the hosts to provide goodie bags. Sometimes you get some really cool stuff if the promoters are sharp and value the intelligence of the attendees. Other times, you receive, well, junk. Or, to be […]

My logo, which is just one element of my brand, is trademarked. I received my official United States of America Certificate of Registration from the Patent and Trademark Office and I’m pretty excited about it. The logo and business name Write On ~ Creative Writing Services, LLC. ® has actually been trademarked since November 21st of 2006. It’s taken me a while to write about it but I don’t feel too badly about that since I originally filed my request in September of 2005 and the government took about one year to approve it. The entire process is really rather interesting.